It has been a long time since I have made time to write. I have been walking quite the journey over the past two years and I haven't taken the time to process it all.
So, last night I made myself a cup of tea and sat with my journal - it has been a long time. I turned to a blank page and it just sometimes that blank page just stares back at you - you have so much to write but you don't know where to begin or how to start.
When I teach my journaling workshops I always ask the group to start with the date. It is always a good place to start.
So with the date in the top right corner, the words began to flow.
Finally, after four pages I felt like I had made a good start. There has been a lot going on and my heart needs a lot of healing. I have always found writing to be a form of healing for me. When I wrote my book it caused me to deal with a lot of issues from my past so that I was free to move forward in my life.
With all that is going on with the COVID-19 I have been found myself coaching people again. One of the main things that I tell people is that they need to start writing about this experience. As we write it is incredible to see the awakenings and healing that can emerge.
I have always felt that my life experiences and character-building exercises are for me to share. As with my book and my journey over the past two years, I heal by writing and sharing. And hopefully through my sharing, I can help others on their journeys.
Do you know that in individuals who have experienced a traumatic or extremely stressful event, expressive writing can have a significant healing effect. In fact, participants in a study who wrote about their most traumatic experiences for 15 minutes, four days in a row, experienced better health outcomes up to four months later
Overall, writing as therapy has proven effective for many different conditions or mental illnesses, including:
Post-traumatic stress
Anxiety
Depression
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Grief and loss
Chronic illness issues
Substance abuse
Eating disorders
Interpersonal relationship issues
Communication skill issues
Low self-esteem
Don't know how to start? Write the date and see where you go from there.
Follow the five steps to WRITE:
W – What do you want to write about? Name it.
R – Review or reflect on it – close your eyes, take deep breaths, and focus.
I – Investigate your thoughts and feelings. Just start writing and keep writing.
T – Time yourself – write for 5 to 15 minutes straight.
E – Exit “smart” by re-reading what you’ve written and reflecting on it with one or two sentences
Finally, keep the following in mind while you are journaling:
It’s okay to write only a few words, and it’s okay to write several pages – just write at your own pace.
Don’t worry so much about what to write about, just focus on taking the time to write and giving it your full attention.
Don’t worry about how well you write – the important thing is to write down what makes sense to you and what comes naturally to you.
Write as if no one else will read it – this will help you avoid “putting on a show” rather than writing authentically
Find a notebook and just start writing. It's where you will find me - and I will be blogging more over the coming weeks as well. I have a lot to work through - it's time to start the healing.
Click below to download a Free copy of my e-book: Journaling for Mental Wellness.
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